Bernard Tomic: Tennis' tainted talent?

By Ravi Ubha, for CNN

Updated 1142 GMT (1942 HKT) January 6, 2014

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Photos:Tomic: Tennis' tainted talent?

And he's still only 21 – Bernard Tomic is a former junior world No. 1 and he has produced some big wins on the men's tennis tour, most notably at his home major in Australia and at Wimbledon. But his indiscretions and the behavior of his father, John, have made headlines for the wrong reasons.

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Photos:Tomic: Tennis' tainted talent?

And he's still only 21 – Tomic was one of the most highly-touted tennis juniors of recent decades, and boasted he would one day win all four major tournaments and become the world No. 1.

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Photos:Tomic: Tennis' tainted talent?

And he's still only 21 – In 2009 Tomic became the first Australian to win the U.S. Open boys' title in 25 years when he beat American Chase Buchanan.

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Photos:Tomic: Tennis' tainted talent?

And he's still only 21 – On the pro tour, Tomic has had memorable runs at the Australian Open the past three editions. It took Roger Federer to stop him in 2012 and 2013.

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Photos:Tomic: Tennis' tainted talent?

And he's still only 21 – Tomic has also fared well at Wimbledon. In 2011 he became the youngest man since Boris Becker to reach the quarterfinals at the All England Club.

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Photos:Tomic: Tennis' tainted talent?

And he's still only 21 – Despite his junior success in New York, he has never done well in the Big Apple in the senior ranks. And at the clay-court French Open he owns a poor 1-4 record.

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Photos:Tomic: Tennis' tainted talent?

And he's still only 21 – Andy Roddick thumped Tomic at the 2012 U.S. Open. Afterwards, Australian Davis Cup captain Patrick Rafter called Tomic's performance "disgraceful" and John McEnroe added that he "tanked," or threw in the towel.

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Photos:Tomic: Tennis' tainted talent?

And he's still only 21 – Legendary Australian coach Tony Roche, right, reportedly berated Tomic during a Davis Cup encounter against Germany in 2012, just weeks after losing to Roddick. A month later, Tomic said he gave only "85%" in a loss at the Shanghai Masters.

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Photos:Tomic: Tennis' tainted talent?

And he's still only 21 – Tomic's father and coach John, pictured, received an eight-month suspended sentence in September after he head-butted the player's former hitting partner Thomas Drouet. He has been banned from attending tournaments.

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Photos:Tomic: Tennis' tainted talent?

And he's still only 21 – Drouet is pictured here after the assault. In a diary that was later published by an Australian newspaper, Drouet claimed John Tomic punched his son in the face and shot him in the leg with a BB gun.

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And he's still only 21 – What next for Tomic? Only time will tell. But he'll be hoping for another good Australian Open when the tournament begins in the middle of January.

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Story highlights

Bernard Tomic is Australia's top men's hope at the first grand slam of 2014

The former junior world No. 1 has previously excelled in Melbourne event

But Tomic and his dad have more often than not made headlines for the wrong reasons

John Tomic received suspended sentence for assaulting son's ex-hitting partner

As a young teen, Bernard Tomic boasted he would win all four grand slams and become world No. 1. They were big words indeed.

So far, though, the 21-year-old's indiscretions far outnumber any achievements with his tennis racquet.

Yet local hopes will realistically rest on the former junior No. 1 when the Australian Open begins next week, given the home struggles of the nation's top female player, Samantha Stosur.

Tomic has had brushes with the law -- caught speeding on multiple occasions, including once in his Ferrari -- been accused of a "tank job" at a grand slam and admitted himself he hasn't always given 100% in matches.

The elder Tomic has been banned from ATP tournaments until May and, just like at last year's French Open and Wimbledon, won't be allowed into the grounds at the Australian Open.

On the eve of the season's first major, Patrick Rafter -- captain of Australia's Davis Cup men's team and one in a long line of tennis greats the country has produced -- said it's time for Bernard to put everything behind him and live up to his own hype.

"He's 21 but we've got to be careful we don't keep calling him young because he's a man now, he should be taking responsibility for himself," Rafter told CNN's Open Court. "We've seen a lot of other kids take responsibility for themselves."

Rafter, usually mild mannered, ripped Tomic at the 2012 U.S. Open when he fell meekly to Andy Roddick, calling it a "disgraceful" performance. Tomic lost 6-3 6-4 6-0 and won just five points in the final set.

"It's going to be one of those seasons where he (needs to) prove himself on the tour and not (linger) around No. 50 in the world," said Federer.

At his home major at least, Tomic's issues seem to disappear.

With all of Australia behind him, Tomic fared well in 2011, 2012 and last year, with his talent -- and unorthodox game -- there for all to see. All three occasions he was stopped by either Rafael Nadal or Federer.

Wimbledon is the other major where he excels.

At the All England Club in 2011, Tomic became the youngest man in 25 years -- since Boris Becker -- to reach the quarterfinals.

"He has got youth on his side where he can develop over the next couple of years and become a great player," said Rafter. "He's had success, especially at Wimbledon, so there's no reason why he can't do well."

Tomic couldn't be reached for comment but his agent, Fraser Wright, said in an email that the player was devoting "total attention to the Aussie summer tournaments."

And in December Tomic, while reiterating that his father was still a vital member of his team, told an Australian television show that he needed to become "wiser."

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"You've always got to think about what you're doing and what the consequences are," he said when asked about the lapdancing incident. "Sometimes I don't think like that.

"I've got to become a little bit more wiser, and I think mature a little bit more."

With Stosur perennially struggling in Melbourne, former world No. 1 Hewitt long past his best after years of injury problems, and three major prospects -- Nick Kyrgios, Thanasi Kokkinakis and Ashleigh Barty -- perhaps not ready to make a splash, Tomic figures indeed to be Australia's main contender in Melbourne.

But Kyrgios and Kokkinakis fill Rafter with hope.

"You see a lot of juniors come through and you wonder how they are going to fit in with the men's and how they are going to make that step from juniors," said Rafter.

"But these two boys seem to be very exciting that we've got coming through, and a couple other young kids.

"But a lot of things can go wrong. There can be injuries or mentally you can't deal with it, so we've got to try to control that side of it a little bit as well."